Kumari puja at the Adityas’ Jagaddhatri puja at Bagnan

Sambhunath Aditya’s ancestral home in Kansra village, Bagnan, stands in darkness, haunted by foxes and civets after dusk. Many believe that the Aditya residence is haunted. Come Jagaddhatri puja, the house is a hub of activity for the three days of the puja. The lights come on after Bhai Phonta, and family members from all corners of the globe trickle in. It’s a family reunion of nearly 200 Aditya family members and their friends.

This year was special as the Jagaddhatri puja in the Aditya household turned 100. Surendranath Aditya started the puja in 1912. Except for the floods in 1978, there has never been a break in this puja.

The Aditya family had settled in Bagnan some seven generations ago. No one remembers the first settler’s name. He was dewan to a zamindar of Burdwan, Brindaban Ghoshal. Later, he married a local girl in Kansra village and was given land by the maharaja here. His descendant, Surendranath Aditya, started Jagaddhatri puja at this house on the behest of his sister.

Earlier, Kali puja was organised here. However, the puja stopped after 1911 when an unusual incident took place. “That year, the Kali idol’s tongue fell off and the puja was stopped. In 1912, my father did not organise Kali puja and my aunt told him to start Jagaddhatri puja instead,” said Sambhunath. There were just eight days left for the puja but Surendranath managed to complete all preparations.

The idol, however, is not made before Durga puja ends. “At a particular time on Dashami, called amritajog, we dig out clay from the pond near the house which is used to make the idol,” said Mridul Aditya, a descendant of Phanibhushan Aditya, Surendranath’s brother.

The puja starts early as Saptami, Ashtami and Navami pujas have to be completed on the same day. Fresh offerings have to prepared for each puja. Work starts in advance as nadus are made at the house from 70 coconuts. A good 52 kg of rice grains are needed for the puja every year. “A specific number of naivedya (rice grain offerings) thalis have to be prepared for each puja. Jagaddhatri is offered a fixed 5kg naivedya for every puja. We also send offerings to the old Mansa, Sitala and Shiva temples in the village and also to Abdul Saheb’s mazhar,” said Mridul. Earlier goats were sacrificed but since 2002, chaal kumro (ash gourd) is sacrificed. There is Kumari puja on Ashtami.

In the centenary year, there were special celebrations like lights from Chandernagore, a grand lunch for all villagers and a ceremonious immersion with lights and fireworks, as demanded by the villagers.